Could use some help with AI settings

[Mark_Newbie]

Hello all. Apologize in advance for my ignorance. I recently purchased a Red Sea E260 for my six year old daughter since she can’t get enough of the Monterey Aquarium, however I think it’s become more my hobby and responsibility.
Background. This is our first. Got the sump upgrade and ordered live rock from TBS. CoralVue Reef octopus protein skimmer, Varios 2 pump, and Tunze 3155 ATO. Have the AI LED lights running for five hours a day at the following settings: UV 60%, Violet 59%, Royal 37%, Blue 40%, Green 2%, Deep Red 2%, and Cool White 9%.
The cycling process happened more quickly than I expected and I feel really behind. Two big questions. 1) What should the water level of my sump be? Should the water from the skimmer tank be cascading over the black sponge filter prior to the return pump or is it ok that it is higher than that? Haven’t set up the Tunze yet. Was thinking of setting up the optic sensor in the return pump chamber and the safety float valve in the display tank. Is that appropriate?
2) Have no idea how to set the AI lights after the tank has cycled. I’ve already seen new growth on the rocks. Do I keep the current settings or should I move to more advanced lighting settings?
Again, I’m a complete newbie and welcome any snarkie remarks that may follow. But, I would appreciate any advice you all may have. Thanks in advance.

 

[savetheocean]

This hobby is all about learning! You're going to make mistakes and that will help you learn. You have a pretty good setup.

1. The water is going through the sponge? Thats supposed to happen, is there another way you think the water should be going?

2. I would play around with the lights and just see what works for you. Do you plan to add corals?

 

[Palyzoa]

Hello all. Apologize in advance for my ignorance. I recently purchased a Red Sea E260 for my six year old daughter since she can’t get enough of the Monterey Aquarium, however I think it’s become more my hobby and responsibility.
Background. This is our first. Got the sump upgrade and ordered live rock from TBS. CoralVue Reef octopus protein skimmer, Varios 2 pump, and Tunze 3155 ATO. Have the AI LED lights running for five hours a day at the following settings: UV 60%, Violet 59%, Royal 37%, Blue 40%, Green 2%, Deep Red 2%, and Cool White 9%.
The cycling process happened more quickly than I expected and I feel really behind. Two big questions. 1) What should the water level of my sump be? Should the water from the skimmer tank be cascading over the black sponge filter prior to the return pump or is it ok that it is higher than that? Haven’t set up the Tunze yet. Was thinking of setting up the optic sensor in the return pump chamber and the safety float valve in the display tank. Is that appropriate?
2) Have no idea how to set the AI lights after the tank has cycled. I’ve already seen new growth on the rocks. Do I keep the current settings or should I move to more advanced lighting settings?
Again, I’m a complete newbie and welcome any snarkie remarks that may follow. But, I would appreciate any advice you all may have. Thanks in advance.

Welcome to R2R and the hobby!

As for the sump question, do you have a picture of what your talking about? Pictures help allot in the forums.

The AI lighting is it a prime or hydra? and are the HD's? Your settings seem fine for now but once you want to keep coral you might want to adjust the numbers a bit. If you like more of the blue spectrum to make corals pop then increase the blues and leave the red green and white down around 10-20%. If you like the more natural daylight look then increase the whites but be careful because algae seems to grow allot faster with white light. Once you add coral if any of them seem like they are stretching or reaching for light than you would want to increase your percentage of the spectrum you want.

Hope this helps, dont be afraid to ask more questions you may have here on R2R. We have all been there and always willing to help when we can

 

[Mark_Newbie]

Thanks for the replies! Just re read the instructions on the sump manual and it said the water in level in the return pump compartment should be at 6”, so I have the level too high now. My skimmer is supposed to be 7-7.9” which is also too high now. Will adjust.
I have the Hydra 26 HDs. I was just wondering if anyone had a base setting for the lights after the tank has cycled. Already seeing growth that is fluorescent red and orange...which is really cool! I will receive a bunch of TBS inverts once I tell them the tank has cycled and plan to introduce a few clownfish and wrasse in a month or so after quarantine.
Heard a tapping sound on the tank last night after the lights were off. Repeated at irregular times. Does that mean I might have a mantis in the tank?

 

[Palyzoa]

Thanks for the replies! Just re read the instructions on the sump manual and it said the water in level in the return pump compartment should be at 6”, so I have the level too high now. My skimmer is supposed to be 7-7.9” which is also too high now. Will adjust.
I have the Hydra 26 HDs. I was just wondering if anyone had a base setting for the lights after the tank has cycled. Already seeing growth that is fluorescent red and orange...which is really cool! I will receive a bunch of TBS inverts once I tell them the tank has cycled and plan to introduce a few clownfish and wrasse in a month or so after quarantine.
Heard a tapping sound on the tank last night after the lights were off. Repeated at irregular times. Does that mean I might have a mantis in the tank?

The tapping could be a mantis or a pistol shrimp. Im leaning more pistol shrimp but only way to know is to spy on the tank in hopes of a glimpse.

The hydras: You could bring your UV and purple/blues up to 60% and Red, green and white to 10%. That's in the ball park of where most people start. When you corals like I said earlier, if they seem like the reaching for light you could increase the blues. Just do so slowly like 1-2% a day.

 

[Mark_Newbie]

How many hours a day for the lights?

 

[Oldsalt01]

Heard a tapping sound on the tank last night after the lights were off. Repeated at irregular times. Does that mean I might have a mantis in the tank?

I agree with Palyzoa. Probably Mantis or Pistol shrimp. An easy way to check is to take a small chunk of table shrimp and drop it in after lights out. Then hang around with a red lens'd flashlight on the spot where it lands and try to remain fairly still. I practically guarantee you'll solve your mystery within a few minutes.

 

[Flexin]

http://www.aquaillumination.com/signature/

Here are profiles that work. Pick one and load it. Don’t keep changing the settings unless the light is too bright. I use Karen’s setting on two he primed in a 65 gallon tank. Hope this helps...

 

[Jesterrace]

I use the 18K default setting and it appears to work well.

 

[Mark_Newbie]

Thanks guys! You all have been awesome. Couldn’t find much literature on light settings so this all helps a great deal. It could also be a factor of my age and inability to find things on the web. My six year old knows how to operate my IPad and IPhone ten times better than I do!

 

[Mark_Newbie]

Stupid question. How do I download the settings to my AI lights? If I can’t do it myself I will probably read the instructions to my daughter and she will do it.

 

[Mikedawg]

Stupid question. How do I download the settings to my AI lights? If I can’t do it myself I will probably read the instructions to my daughter and she will do it.

On auto setting, the download feature is to the right of the delete (trash can). Several good programs available if you search Hydra settings for the predominant type of coral you have. Dan's reef and Saxby have produced good results for me.

 

[Mark_Newbie]

Can I use the water from my display tank after it has cycled to populate my quarantine tank? Know I’m supposed to do a 25% water change after it cycles (has occurred). Can I use that water in my quarantine tank or should I use newly created saltwater? Have had a filter sponge in the display tank sump for the last 4 days to get the bacteria, and it will go in the quarantine tank. Is fresh rodi water mixed with salt the way to go or should I use some of the display tank water prior to it’s water change? Quarantine tank is a cheap 10 gallon variant. Just a sponge filter, air pump, led light, pvc scraps, and heater.

 

[Mark_Newbie]

By the way, haven’t done the water change yet in the display tank. Waiting for some advice. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jesterrace]

Can I use the water from my display tank after it has cycled to populate my quarantine tank? Know I’m supposed to do a 25% water change after it cycles (has occurred). Can I use that water in my quarantine tank or should I use newly created saltwater? Have had a filter sponge in the display tank sump for the last 4 days to get the bacteria, and it will go in the quarantine tank. Is fresh rodi water mixed with salt the way to go or should I use some of the display tank water prior to it’s water change? Quarantine tank is a cheap 10 gallon variant. Just a sponge filter, air pump, led light, pvc scraps, and heater.

The water generally doesn't hold much bacteria and I would go with new water just as a precaution.

 

[Flexin]

@Jesterrace , I use the water from my existing system for my QT and place new water in the original system. If only doing corals, for the heck of it I do a 10% water change each week on the QT tank until the corals are ready. I feed the corals just before the water change, just how others manage the PICO tanks. I also place a piece of live rock in the QT from the existing tank. My QT is a 5gal evo.